Advice urgently needed re- neighbours cats.

[carole]

I am feeling so distressed right now, its difficult to sleep at nights worrying about these cats.

Around the corner from me is a woman who has three cats, one has 6 kittens, two have been homed to a lady across the road from me, I found a kitten recently so it gave me the opportunity I was waiting for to go ask this woman if it were her kitten, it wasn't and we rehomed her thank goodness, to try cut a long story short, she said she was giving the kittens to the spca, I tryed to persuade her differently as they are a kill shelter, I left her a nice note with information about the other shelters, phone numbers etc, she has to get mama cat spayed, otherwise the shelters won't even consider taking the kittens, still don't think they are able as they are full right now.

These cats are kept outdoors permanently, they have bit of shelter in the front porch and back step, the babies and mama have been outside since they were born, they do look quite ok, but you can't really tell at a distance, they are scaredy cats, and I am unable to get near them.

Now to top it all off I think she has gone away for a few days, maybe xmas and left them with no food, I have a birdseye view from upstairs which overlooks her place, I cannot be 100 per cent sure on this, as I cannot watch the place 24/7 but my instincts tell me I am right, their bowl has not moved an inch, and I see no-one around or any movement there, yes I have put some food out for them on my fence, which they can easily access from the flat, mama is smart and has had the food, but the other two cats I don't think have got any, I am happy she is getting it, as correct me if I am wrong she will still be feeding her babies, they look quite big now about 2 to 3 mths old.

I really don't know what to do, I have pm'ed QSA for advice, but thought I should ask everyone for ideas, I can't take them in here, it is just not possible, and I cannot kidnap her cats, and besides they are too wild.

Even though it is summer in NZ it is very cold , and raining, hailstorms predictated today.

I cannot believe these kittens have survived so long, this is a woman who calls herself an animal lover, I have been nice as pie to her, finding that approach the best one to take, and offered to help in anyway, giving her my ph number, man I would have happily fed her cats if she went away, I am just so damn angry, I could scream, and I would love to give her a piece of my mind, but I have to tread really carefully, I will continue to feed them as best I can, I cannot really go on her property, everyone would see me, it is very open, and what if I am wrong and she is there or turns up and I am caught feeding them, so for now it will have to be the back fence.

Any advice will be appreciated.

[carole]

Come on guys I REALLY NEED SOME HELP HERE, I am beside myself worrying about these furbabies.

[Laura's Babies]

I would put a bucket or something ON her property where the kitties could come to it and not getting on her property, I would fill it with food for the babies and call to them as you do it... If she IS there and says somethig, explaine to her you thought she was gone and didn't mind feeding them until she got back....adding, "anytime you are gone, I would be GLAD to help out and feed them...".. Is is SO hard having STUPID neighbors who profess to be "animal lovers" I have one and so does my son....

[QueenScoopalot]

Carole, It's unlikely that the mom cat is still nursing kittens, but some will. I wouldn't worry about feeding them, as this woman has neglected to bother It's not a crime to feed starving cats and kittens, but IMO it is a crime what this so called "animal lover" is doing! You have bent over backwards to assist her, when I'm sure no one else has offered, so she should be grateful for help! It seems to me as though this woman intends to leave all the kittens, and mom outside to continue breeding, so maybe you need to give her a kick in the butt, or do something on your own to help the cats. A lot of times people can't be bothered and sometimes the only way to get things done, is to make the cats vanish. I'd have no qualms about taking them all at this rate. She's created a public health nuisance by neglecting the basic needs of spaying, neutering and feeding them. Have you tried contacting the no-kill shelters regarding the kitties? I'd bet the woman hasn't. Keep feeding them, and to h**l with this so called owner.

[carole]

Thank you both, I just needed some re-assurance that i was doing the right thing, although in my heart I know I am, yes I did contact the shelter my daughter volunteers for, they are full up and will not take the kittens unless the owner spays mama, for obvious reasons.

I will continue to feed them, i am concerned that the babies are going to starve, I thought mama would still be feeding them, see I don't know a lot about kittens, that is why I asked expert advice here.

I am going to contact another shelter and get some more advice, I wonder if she just figured I can go away, that woman will sort my problems out for me regarding the kittens, some people do just that type of thing.

Thing is if I did managed to get them picked up, she will know its me, and man she will be angry, I can just tell, of course i could just deny it all, I won't ring the spca, because they will put them all to sleep, I think my best bet is to continue to feed them until she returns, her stuff is still there so she has not up and left.

[QueenScoopalot]

Carole, I have a hunch the woman can't be bothered with any of them! Maybe you'll have to take the kittens into the shelter, and take her cat to the vets for spaying. So many lazy idiots in this world *sigh*

[carole]

She is back , her windows are open, and she was throwing them scraps to eat, and now they are all around the food bowl eating, now I feel somewhat happier knowing they are being fed, maybe she just feeds them once a day, some people do, well at least I know mama's belly is super full with that and the food I gave her.

Still the problem of the babies and mama is still there, I will leave her a few cans of food and a note, and maybe offer to help her out with the spaying, I am not so good at the face to face confrontation, as i might say something I regret, I want to stick in with her and be nice as pie, I reckon that is my best bet, to helping these wee kitties out. Wish me luck folks.

[NKBurlington]

Personally, I would steal the cats, have the mom spayed and take the lot of them to a no kill shelter.

JMHO

[moosmom]

Personally, I would steal the cats

Um, it's called RESCUING in this case, because the idiotic woman left them out in the cold with no food, water and very little shelter.

Carole,

Go get the cats. See what you can do about placing them with responsible owners. This woman is a jerk!! Scraps of food, BAH!!!

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by moosmom
Um, it's called RESCUING in this case, because the idiotic woman left them out in the cold with no food, water and very little shelter.

Outside only un-neutered cats fed on scraps are strays and need a proper cat loving home. i bet they are not vaccinated and as for allowing young kittens outside...shudder.

If there is anything we can do to help, post.

What about taking them to another non-kill shelter further away that has places and how much would that cost to do ?

[Tonya]

I often come across bad pet owners when I am working. What I normally do is tell them how much I love their animal and that I was looking for one just like them. I tell them that if they ever need to rehome them to please call me. Or in your case, with several cats, I would tell her all about your imginary friend that just loves cats and would happily take them and help with spaying the mama cats. Or perhaps tell her about how you wished that you could have so many cats...Ask her if you can help her take care of them...that it'll get your urge for more cats out of your system.

Those approaches normally work for me. The person is often relieved and ok with finding a better life for their animals. I think often times, people really are animal lovers, but they are uneducated and/or get over their head. It is kind of an unoffensive way to educate them and offer them help.

If all else fails I've been known to "rescue" them as Moosmom puts it.

[carole]

Unfortunately I cannot steal the cats, because they won't let me near them, they are too scared, run like hell if you get even a little bit close.

The cats actually look quite well considering their lifestyle, I don't know that she de-fleas them or vaccinates, but I would think not, I have never seen her pet them, she did tell me she bought one of the cats for 25 dollars from a pet store, I guess this is Duchess, who must be spayed, otherwise she would have kittens as well, she is the mother of Victoria who has the kittens.

None of the shelters seemed prepared to take them in, so this leaves me in a bind, I have one more place to try yet, so fingers and paws crossed., here's hoping.

I am thinking of offering to pay half the cost of spaying Victoria if she will let me, I cannot afford to pay all of it, or I would, but maybe if she knows its only 20 dollars she may be into it, but who is going to look after her after the operation, that worries me, she will probably just stick her outside straight away.

P.S Tonya she would be horrified if I asked to take her cats away, in her mind she loves them and is a good owner, she just wants the kittens to find homes.

[carole]

As you can see she was pretty on guard when we took this pic. lovely marked kitty, she is quite thin.

[Tonya]

She is beautiful! I love her eyes.

[moosmom]

What a beautiful cat!! This woman, although she probably THINKS she's helping them, actually has turned them feral. Especially if they "run like hell" when you try to approach them. So I doubt very much you'd be able to get her into a carrier to have her spayed.

If you happened to trap her or her babies, and take them to the SPCA, they would put them down in a heartbeat because, unfortuntely they would be deemed "unadoptable", thanks to your neighbor.

It's sad. She's hurting them instead of helping them. Stupid, irresponsible pet owners!!!